Current wireless mobile communication devices include microprocessors, information storage capability, and run one or more software applications. Examples of software applications used in these wireless devices include micro-browsers, address books, and email clients. Additionally, these generations of wireless devices have access to a plurality of services via the Internet. A 3G wireless device may, for example, be used to browse web sites on the Internet, to transmit and receive graphics, and to execute streaming audio and/or video applications. The transfer of Internet content to and from wireless device is typically facilitated by the Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”), which integrates the Internet and other networks with wireless network platforms.
Before a manufacturer can sell wireless devices to consumers, the wireless devices must be fully tested. This is especially important for the newer generations of wireless devices which have increased functionality as described above.
Once a wireless device is assembled in full plastics, it typically progresses through various test stages to qualify each of its components. For mobile cellular devices these tests may include the following: Keys, Internal Mic (microphone), Internal Speaker, Charger, Buzzer, Vibrator, Vision, Radiated RF (radio frequency), etc.
Depending on the initial path of test development, most testing systems execute a series of test stages wherein each stage sequentially executes a subset of tests drawn from a test plan. As development progresses some of these test stages are consolidated depending on the compatibility of function, fixture, or process. For example, consider the following two exemplary testing system flows: